News and Updates

Internet Australia is disappointed to note the brief advisory report from the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) released yesterday evening, prior to Parliament considering passing a modified Assistance and Access Bill on the final sitting day of 2018. The Coalition and Opposition have agreed to rush the highly complex laws through Parliament this year, just a few short months into their bipartisan public review.

“The only thing this Assistance and Access Bill compromise demonstrates is that bullying pays off” said Dr Paul Brooks, Chair of Internet Australia. “The extraordinary intervention by Minister Dutton and Prime Minister Morrison into the PJCIS timetable risks damaging the reputation of parliamentary process and public review, as many experts question the time, thought and expertise poured into providing independent expert testimony through the parliamentary committee process, only to have the advice largely dismissed or ignored.”